On to hat No. 3

Yesterday, I told Pam Haschke, the founder of Halos of Hope, that I would send her 5 chemo caps, and that I’d send them all at once. And because these are summer hats, I would like to get them done soon.

Liz came over for a while yesterday, and we had fun comparing yarn and works in progress. She showed me her new yarn and her shawl made with yarn from Vogue Knittng Live and Swap on a Budget. She’s also started a Tuscan Shawl in which she will use the new yarn from Angelfire Studio. It’s going to be gorgeous. While Liz was here, I finished up Ratatouille, but I didn’t want to cast on lace while we were talking, so I went back to work on the Cuff-to-Cuff cardigan. Liz says I shouldn’t make the pockets on this sweater, although she likes it a lot. To be honest, I didn’t even notice the pockets til she pointed them out. I love pockets, but I guess I’ll decide later.

Last night, I cast on a slouchy lace hat, a free pattern from Ravelry which was knitted in Sugar N Cream. I’m using some sea-green Sugar N Cream yarn that is leftover from a sweater I made a few years ago. Not as soft as my Ratatouille yarn, but I hope someone enjoys it. It’s on size 9 needles and going fast.

I have to say that my left thumb is particularly tired from all this cotton knitting, so I may take the day off from hat making. I may, in fact, take the day off from knitting all together. I have plenty to do tonight, including yard work, if it’s not raining. I still have the Turf Builder to spread, and I bought a weed wacker over the weekend to tackle parts of the backyard that can only be tamed with one.

I blame the thumb fatigue on knitting Ratatouille with that bamboo needle. Funny how that needle worked so well with Sugar N Cream but not with the Sirdar cotton, which is much softer. Live and learn.

About Pam MacKenzie

Pam MacKenzie grew up in a real estate family. Her parents were real estate brokers and office managers, and she herself was a licensed agent in the 1970s. But early on, Pam discovered she'd much rather write about the industry than sell. Now in her eighth year as the real estate editor at the Courier News, Pam believes she has the best job at the paper. In this blog, she's on a mission to empower readers to give them a strong understanding of anything and everything that can impact their ability to own a home. And she believes passionately that when you understand the real estate industry in New Jersey, you understand so much more: the education system, economic and racial bias, the way politics works or doesn't work and ecology, to name a few. She invites everybody to leave lots of comments, even when they disagree with her.

About this Blog

Pam explores local knitting groups and yarn shops, critiques patterns and shares her wisdom on techniques for improving your craft.

About the author

Pam MacKenzie
Our real estate editor, Pam MacKenzie, expresses her creative side in this blog about knitting. Pam learned to knit at age 6, when her friend’s mother made Pam’s doll a dress, and Pam wanted to make more. Her mother wanted her to learn how to sew in high school, but she was afraid of the sewing machines, cutting fabric the wrong way, and the potential that sewing would have for bringing down her grade-point average. Every year, she managed to find a course conflict to avoid sewing classes. But the day after high school graduation, she took her graduation money to a fabric store, bought a kit to make a sweater, taught herself to read patterns and never looked back. These days, she knits a prayer shawl every month, along with sweaters, tote bags, gift bags and other goodies. She also designs many of her projects. Read More About PamE-mail Pam